Assistant manager Ray Mathias described the first-half performance against Barnet as "unacceptable" as the Dons slipped to a fourth home defeat of the season.

Ismaul Yakubu's 22^nd-minute effort was the only goal of a frustrating afternoon at stadiummk as the Dons saw the League 2 lead cut to eight points.

The Dons battled for an equaliser in the second period but Mathias said the game was lost with a poor first-half display.

He said: "It's unacceptable but it happens at times when players are not playing as a unit.

"We didn't look right in the first half, whether the game on Tuesday took its toll I don't know but we're not here to make excuses.

"They've come here with five across the midfield and blocked every angle we wanted to go into but we could have played better than we did.

"We didn't control the game like we usually do, our passing wasn't up to scratch and our movement wasn't up to scratch.

"We managed to get back into it a little bit in a way we don't want to go which is route one football, but sometimes you have to do things out of the ordinary to get back into the game.

"I think we had chances to get a draw or even a win but I think had we got a draw it would have been just about what we deserved."

It was another game where the Dons were unable to replicate their outstanding away form on their own patch and Mathias said opposition spoiling tactics are something the team should be ready for.

He said: "You've seen what Barnet did today, they try to keep it tight and break quickly which caused us problems. But these are situations we have to overcome and where we should remain patient.

You try to score an early goal today to kill the opposition off but we weren't up to it."